Los Toros y Las Sardinas

This is a story about life and death on a beach in Bahía de Banderas. The main characters are jurel toro, or simply toro, the local name for the Pacific crevalle jack (Carangidae), and sardina, the local name for the flatiron herring (Clupeidae). 

Jurel toro or Pacific crevalle jack

Sardina or flatiron herring

Los Arcos

Los Arcos (The Arches) is one of the most popular diving and snorkeling spots in Bahía de Banderas (Bay of Flags) and is visited by many of the local tourist companies (link) and dive shops (link). It comprises five granite islets from 5-50 m (16-160 ft) high about 10 km (6 mi) south of Puerto Vallarta. I snorkeled the rocks when we were here in early April and again when we returned in early June.

Los Arcos from Puerto Vallarta

Coastal Trail from Boca to Quimixto

We love to hike, so we were happy to learn of a two-mile trail along the coast from Boca de Tomatlán to Las Animas. Most tourists go by water taxi (panga) to Las Animas, Quimixto and Yelapa, coastal villages west of Boca. We asked about the trail in town and were told that it goes beyond Las Animas to Quimixto, over four miles (measured on Google Earth). We planned to start early, stop for lunch along the way and return to Boca by water taxi in the afternoon. We packed light, took several liters of water and snacks, wore sturdy trail shoes and started before the sun was over the hills behind Boca.

Start of the trail

Boca de Tomatlán

It’s cool in the morning before the sun rises over the Río Horcones. The breeze from the east is fresh and the leaves of the palm trees wobble as it swirls. White-collared swifts gather and wheel in the sky above the village announcing their presence with loud chattering. Noisy blue-rumped parrotlets fly through the trees in small groups at high speed. Great-tailed grackles are whistling and social flycatchers call from the tops of snags. 

Pangas on the estuary

Bucerias

Bucerias is on the Pacific Coast in the state of Nayarit north of Puerto Vallarta. It is located at the southern end of the Riviera Nayarita, 200 miles of coast stretching from San Blas in the north to Nuevo Vallarta south of Bucerías (link). We spent two weeks here in March.

The beach at Bucerias looking north to Cruz de Huanacaxtle

Founded in 1937, Bucerias was known as a place for diving and fishing (link). With a population of 17,000, it has cobblestone streets; brightly painted homes; a lively Saturday market; and shops, art galleries, restaurants and services to satisfy tourists and expatriates (expats) alike. We rented the downstairs of a duplex two blocks from the beach.